Although I am on a pre-vacation high at the moment, I know how quickly it has come and how quickly it's going to pass, so this pile of library books that I picked up earlier today will be a welcome sight when I return. The anticipation of good books, right? I'm nearly finished with my current library read, Broken Harbor, so one of these will be taking it's place. I think I'll save the choice for when I'm back and have nothing very exciting to look forward to (I guess I'll need to plan out some other little adventure). From top to bottom:
The Forrests by Emily Perkins -- I've heard some good things about this one. "In a narrative that shifts and moves, singing with color and memory, growing as wild as its characters, The Forrests speaks to the unexpected ways in which life can change--'if you're lucky enough to be around for it'."
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce -- This is one of the Booker longlist titles. I'm not entirely sure what I think of the longlist this year (not that I ever read many of the books that make the list, but I do like to look at least), but this one had definite appeal for me. "A novel of unsentimental charm, humor, and profound insight into the thoughts and feelings we all bury deep within our hearts".
The Wrath of Shiva by Susan Oleksiw -- This is an Anita Ray mystery. I've never read a mystery set in India--this one is set in Kerala, South India. It sounds like an exotic cozy mystery. Anita first appeared in short stories, and this is her first full length novel.
Bride of New France by Suzanne Desrochers -- This one would work perfectly for my Canadian reading challenge. The author is of French-Canadian descent, much like her heroine in this story. "A riveting story of resilience and redemption that transports us from the secrets of seventeenth-century Paris to the frontiers of the New World."
The Innocents by Francesca Segal -- This cover makes me think of a story of drama and suspense, but I think it's more family drama than anything else. Apparently the story is inspired by Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence. "A smart and slyly funny tale of love, temptation, confusion, and commitment." I could use a 'slyly funny tale' in my life about now!
The Black Isle by Sandi Tan -- This might be a possibility for Carl's RIP Challenge as this is a story with ghosts! "Taking readers from the 1920s through the Japanese occupation during World War II to the Isle's radical transformation into a gleaming cosmopolitan city, The Black Isle is a sweeping epic--a deeply imagined, fiercely original tale."
So, I have some good reading to look forward to when I come home from vacation.
By the way, the photo above was taken with my brand spanking new Sony digital camera (you can click on the photo for a close up). I splurged and bought a very basic point and shoot camera to take with me. I have a very ancient HP 5.1 MP camera that has served me well, but is on its very last leg. I have been messing about with the camera and hope I have it all figured out for when I am away. A proper vacation deserves a proper (if fairly simple) camera I think. To compare, the Sony is an 18.2 MP camera. My last library loot photo was pretty ghastly, so this is an improvement, and with a little practice I should still be able to improve on the quality. In this case I hope the camera is definitely smarter than it's user! And if I'm lucky I'll have some good holiday photos to share here in another week or so!